Charles h



(No Model.)

C. H. JOSSELYN. LAST.

No. 496,785. Patented MaQy 2, 189s,

TN: norms 51ans cn wwomumo v-Asumaron D c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. JOSSELYN, OF ROCKLAND, MASSACHUSETTS.

LAST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,785,- dated May 2,1893.

I Application tiled August 1,1892. Serial No. 441.799. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES H. JossELYN, of Rockland, in the county ofPlymouth and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Lasts for Boots, Shoes, and Slippers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to prevent the injury to lasts caused bydriving nails into them in the process of lasting the shoe.

In the manufacture of boots, shoes or slippers the rst thing done is totemporarily attach the inner sole to the last by means of nails or tacksdriven through the leather into the last which is either made wholly ofwood or has a metallic facing on the under part of the sole. In thelatter case such facing is provided with holes through which the nailscan be driven into the last. These holes are usually three innumber,-one near the toe, one near the beginning of the forward part ofthe arch of the instep, and one on the heel. After the inner sole hasbeen fastened to the last the uppers or Vamps are drawn over the upperpart of the last and secured to the inner sole. When this has been donethe tacks or nails which fastened the inner sole to the last arewithdrawn. It is found in practice that after a last has been used for abrief time the wood becomes chipped and broken b v this repeated drivingin and drawing out of nails and will no longer hold the nails and thelast becomes useless. My invention is intended to obviate thisdifficulty and to enable a last to be used for an indefinite period. Iattain this end by means of Ya last provided with plugs slottedlongitudinally so that the nails or tacks can be driven into the slotsof the plugs through the leather of the sole and hold the said solefirmly to the last and can be afterward withdrawn without injury to thelast.

Figure l, is a last provided with three such last plugs. Fig. 2, is avertical section of a portion of the last showing a last plug inposition with the inner sole held to the last by a nail driven throughthe leather into one of the slots. Fig. 3, is a last plug slottedlongitudinally. l

Similar letters referto similar parts th roughout the several views.

A, is al last.

B, is a last plug slotted longitudinally.

C, C, are slots in the last plug.

D, is an inner sole.

E, is a nail.

The last plug B is preferably made of steel or some other hard metal andis provided with one or more longitudinal slots C separated by parallelpartitions integral with the plug each of which slots is made of properwidthltoenable a nail to be driven into it and to bind against its sideswhich are preferably beveled for a short distance from their upper orouter surfaces. One or more, but usually three such plugs are used andare so inserted into the last that the outer surface of the plug will beas nearly as possible flush with the under surface of the last or of itsmetallic facing,if such facing is used. When the inner sole is placed inposition upon the last, nails can be driven through it into such slotsand will hold it closely to the last. At'- ter the lasting is finishedthe nails can be withdrawn as usual. But the driving and withdrawal ofthe nails will do no injury whatever to the last, and but little if any,to the plug which can be replaced bya new one whenever desired.

In the drawings I show the plug inserted in the last by means of a screwthread on the outer surface of the plug, but the mode of attachment isimmaterial. I also show the sides of the slots beveled for the purposeofy guiding the nails more rapidly into said slots, but this thoughdesirable is not absolutely essential.

I am aware that spring plates having beveled edges have been looselyplaced in a re cess in a last the sole of the last including the recessbeing covered by a metallic plate perforated for the introduction ofanail between said spring plates, and also that in a similarconstruction rubber springs have been placed at the sides of knife edgedplates. These prior constructions were combined with a metallic soleplate and in case either a nail or knife-edge plate was broken theremoval of the last plate Was necessary. And further 1suoli earlierdevices cannot be applied to old asts.

My improvement can beused Withouta face plate and can be applied to Wornlasts without suoli plate. It is also adapted to be used With lastshaving a last plate butin either ease the plug can loe removed andreplaced directly and Without removing the face plate if one be used.Further I dispense with springs and spring plates and foroe the softiron nails between the rigid Walls of the plug slots.

What I Claim as my invention, and desire I 5 to secure by LettersPatent, is-

A last provided With one or more plugs removably secured in said lastand having fixed partitions separated by s1ots,substantially as setforth. Y

CHARLES I-I. J OSSELYN. Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. TUCKER, GEO. WM. EsTABRooK.

